Balloon catheters are used in a number of surgical applications including occluding blood flow either distally or proximally of a treatment site. The inflation of the balloon must be controlled in order to avoid over expansion or rupture of the balloon, which may rupture or otherwise damage the vessel.
Reinforced balloons that only expand to a predetermined diameter are effective in reducing over-expansion of the balloon, but are limited to use in a specific sized vessel. Similarly, the use of a non-expandable sheath over the balloon may prevent over-inflation, but the size of the sheath limits the size of the vessel in which the system can be used.
A need remains for a balloon catheter that can provide the desired level of inflation while minimizing the risk of over-inflation.